Tags
Conversion, Deception, False Advertising, False Endorsement, Indiana Crime Victims' Act, Jane Magnus-Stinson, Tim A. Baker, Trademark Infringement, Unfair Competition, Unjust Enrichment
Net Pro Trading Card Company, LLC v. Ace Authentic Sports memorabilia, LLC et al
Interesting case. Plaintiff Net Pro was apparently the first company to make tennis trading cards way back in 1991. Defendant also makes tennis trading cards. As part of a recent promo series, Defendant has been packaging its own cards along with older, more valuable cards of Plaintiff (e.g. a Plaintiff 2003 rookie card of Rafa Nadal, etc.) Plaintiff feels Defendant’s actions have damaged its ability to sell its own stock of older cards. Kind of a flea-market, “first sale,” nominative fair use case. Despite Plaintiff including such colorful claims as “Deception” the “Indiana Crime Victims’ Act,” I don’t think this case is an easy slam…it could definitely go 5 sets with the proper defense.
Court Case Number: 1:10-cv-01236-JMS-TAB
File Date: Thursday, September 30, 2010
Plaintiff: Net Pro Trading Card Company, LLC
Plaintiff Counsel: Theodore John Minch of Sovich Minch LLP
Defendant: Ace Authentic Sports memorabilia, LLC, John Reichel
Cause: Trademark Infringement, False Endorsement, False Advertising, Common Law Unfair Competition, Unjust Enrichment, Conversion, Deception, Indiana Crime Victims’ Act
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson
Referred To: Magistrate Judge Tim A. Baker
The complaint alleges that Harlan Global is putting old Allison transmissions into new tractors and selling the tractors around the world as having new components. Harlan’s advertisements allegedly do not inform the purchasing public that the tractors manufactured and sold by Harlan include previously used components obtained from a source other than the original manufacturer (Allison) or an authorized remanufacturer. Allison has received complaints from consumers.
Indiana Intellectual Property Blog 